Light signal apparatus



Filed Dec. 14, 1954 Patented Oct. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to light signal apparatus for life buoys and the like, having reference to that class of apparatus wherein is employed a gas chamber having inlet and outlet ports equipped with valve controlling mechanism, including a member under the influence of a magnet or magnets, whereby when the apparatus is in service said member is intermittently actuated in a manner to open and close the ports in alternation and thereby permit the supply of illuminating gas to the chamber through one port and its delivery therefrom through the other port to a suitable burner, thus effecting the lighting and the extinguishing of the burner flame at predetermined intervals of time to produce periodic light flashes.

'Ihe object of my invention is to provide simple and durable means for efficiently opening and closing the valve ports, which means is of such character that it can be nicely adjusted to vary the lengths of the consecutive light flashes as occasion may require, as will be hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being eX- pressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a sectional plan of an apparatus embodying my invention, the diaphragm being removed :from the casing.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section, as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the valve lever and its actuating parts in their relative positions during a relatively short light period.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section through a portion of one side of the casing showing the adjusting devices for the regulating wedge bar which varies the lost motion between the lifting bar and the lever valve to determine the length of the light period.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the slotted coupling post on the lever valve.

Referring to the drawing, 5 designates the usual casing having a closure diaphragm 6 influenced by the volume of gas contained in the chamber constituted `by the casing. The wall of the casing is provided with suitably-disposed ingress and egress ports 'I and B, respectively, the port 'I being in communication with a gas line, as 9, and the port 8 in communication with a pipe` I connected with a signal burner, as usual. The inner ends of the ports l' and 8 lead to spaced nipples II and I2, respectively, secured at diametrically opposite points on the bottom of the casing, which nipples are adapted to be opened and closed in alternation by an oscillatory lever valve I3 in order to permit the ingress and egress of the gas to and from the chamber at predetermined intervals.

The valve I3 is fulcrumed midway of its ends upon upstanding cone points I4, which are entered in conical sockets in the undersides of lat- 5 eral projections I5 of the valve. These cone points are conveniently secured to bosses I6 on the iioor of the casing. The v-alve is flexibly held on its fulcrum points by means of a suitable spring I'I which is attached to the oor of the 10 casing and to a cross piece I8 supported in a central opening I 9 in the valve; and suitably disposed means, such as cap screws 20, are mounted in the bosses Ii so as to overhang the respective lever projections -adjacent the points I4 so as to 15 limit the upward movement of the valve.

The respective arms of the lever valve are provided on their under sides, adjacent their ends, with cover pieces 2| which overhang the openings of the respective nozzles, and by actuation of the 20 valve are caused to open and close the openings of the nozzles in alternation.

The valve arms are also provided on their un- .dersides with adjustable armatures 22 which overhang up-standing permanent magnets 23 iixed on 25 the bottom oi the casing, which armatures are oscillated by the valve in opposition to the attraction of the magnets.

Rising from the valve arm which overhangs the egress nipple I2 is a vertically-slotted post 30 24, constituting a coupling member, through the slot 24! of which slidably extends the free end of a lifting bar 25 disposed longitudinally of the valve. The opposite end of this bar 25 is pivoted for vertical oscillation, as at 2t, in a vertically slotted projection 2l on a sleeve 28 which eX- tends through the wall of the casing and is fixed thereto by a lock nut 29 on the threaded outer end of the sleeve. The free end of the lifting bar 25 projects through a vertical `slot 3@ in a member 3| depending centrally from the diaphragm 6. This bar is resiliently held in down position by a spring 32 which is secured thereto and to the bottom of the casing, and hence when the diaphragm is raised and lowered by the pressure and the reduction of the pressure, respectively, of the gas within the casing, the valve I3 is oscillated to close one of the ports and open the other, and so on in alternation, the opening of each port being in opposition to` the attractive force of the adjacent magnet.

According to my invention Iprovide a simple and eflicient means for varying the upward movement of the bar 25 by the diaphragm actuated member 3|, and accordingly varying the extent 55 ed to ,receive upper and lower contact screws 43 of the upward movement of the valve arm above the egress port of the nipple I2 in a manner to vary the length of the light period within predeable therein and also longitudinally movablev therewith. The sleeve 38, in turn, is threaded in the bore of the iixed sleeve 28 previously -referred to. U f

The outer end of the sleeve `38V is formed withY y a nut head 39 effective to facilitate vthe longitudinal adjustment of such sleeve and its pivoted wedge bar 33.

A radial pin 4) fixed tothe head 36 and extending slidablyl through a longitudinal slot 4| in the innerprojecting portion of the sleeve 28 prevents rotation of the stem 31 and insures its rectilinear motion when the encircling sleeve 38 is actuatedito adjust thewedge ofthe bar 33 in relationV to the Slot in the post 24 so as nic-ely'to vary and determine the extent of lost motion of theY bar 25 in said slot and thus vary the period of the light iiash. Y

VIri order to minimize the opposing fric'tional surfaces of the bars 25 and 33 on account of their slightly varying angular relations incident to their oscillatory motions, I provide the upper surfaces of the bar 25 with a rounded protuberance 42 .upon whichV Ythe free end portion of the 'wedge bar 33 is rockably supported; and in order to procure withl facility a definite and precise length of the slot in the post 24, the upperV and lower ends ofthe post are 'vertically bored and threadand 44 for the opposing 'edges ofthe respective bars25`and 33, the screw 44 also `serving as a V means tosecure the lowerV end of the post ina 45' i socket in the lever valve.

YI claim'- l. In la light signal apparatus, a casing constituting a chamber and having gas ingress and Yegress'ports; whereof the egress'port is incommuni'cation with a burner, a diaphragm closure for said chamber, an oscillatory valvewithin said chamber for opening and closing said ports in alternationjand means under 'the influence of Vthe diaphragm for operating saidY valve, said means including a Vrnember'carried by `said diaphragm, a-c'oupling member on said valve, an

`oscillatory valve-lifting bar extending longitudinally of said valve `and associated with said members to afford limited relative motion between the bar and the members in the direction of movement of the diaphragm, anoscillatory flash-regulating barhaving aVwedge-portion in co-operative relation to the coupling member, said latter bar superimposed on the lifting bar and extending longitudinally thereof,and means for longitudinally moving said flash-regulating bar to adjust its wedge-portion in respect to the coupling member.V

2. In a'lightsignal apparatus, a casing constituting a chamberand having gas ingress and egress ports, whereof the egress port is in communication with a burner, a diaphragm closure for said chamber,V ancscillatory valve within said chamber for opening and closing said ports in alternation,V andzmea'ns'under the infiuence of the diaphragm for Voperating said valve, said means including a member carried by said diaphragm, a coupling member on said valve, an oscillatory valve-lifting bar extending longitudinally of said valve and associated with said members to afford limited relative motion between theV bar and the members in the direction of movement of the diaphragm, an oscillatory ashregulating bar having a wedge-portion in cooperativerelation -to the coupling'member, said lifting bar having a protuberance on its upper edge and said flash-regulating bar rockably supjported on said protuberance and extending longitudinally of the lifting bar, and means for longitu'dinally moving said flash-regulating bar to adjust its wedge-portion in respect to the coupling member. i

` 3. In a light signal apparatus, a casing constituting a chamber and having gas ingress and egress ports, whereof the egress port is in communicatinwith albur'ner, a diaphragmV closure for said chamber, an oscillatoryvalve within said chamber for opening and closing .said ports in alternation, and means under the'influence of the diaphragm for operating said valve, said means including a member carried by said diaphragm, aV couplingmember on said valve comprising a longitudinally slotted post and a screw which de- Y fines the upper end of the slot, an oscillatory valve-lifting bar extending longitudially of said valve and associated with said members to'afford limited relative motion between the bar and the members in the direction of movement of the diaphragmyan oscillatory ash-regulating bar having a wedge-porti-on'in co-operative relation to the coupling member, said latter bar superimposedon the lifting bar and extending longitudinallyV thereof, and means for longitudinally moving saidflash-regulating bar to adjust its wedge-portioniinfrespect to the coupling member.

4. In a light signal apparatus, a casing constituting a chamber and having gas ingress and egress ports, whereof the egress port is in communication with a burner, ardiaphragm closure 45' for said chamber, an' oscillatory valve within said l chamber for opening and closingsaid ports in alternation, and means under the influence of the diaphragm for operating said valve, said means including a member carried by said diaphragm, a 50i coupling member on said valve comprising a 1ongitudinally slotted post and screws which den'e the-upper and lower ends of theV slot, the lower screw also securing the post to the valve, anV oscillatory valve-lifting `bar extending longitudinally of said valve and associatedV with said members to afford limited relative .motion between the bar and the members in the direction of movement of the diaphragm, an oscillatory flash-regulating bar having a wedge-portion in co-opera-` tive relation to the coupling member, said latter bar superimposed on the lifting bar and extending longitudinally thereof, and means for longitudinally moving said hash-regulating bar to adjust its wedge-portion in respect to the coupling member. 5

5. 'In a light signal apparatus, a casing constituting a chamber and having gas ingress and egress ports, whereof the egress port is in communication with a burner, a diaphragm closure phragm, a coupling member on said valve, an osfor said chamber, an oscillatory valve Within said 70 cillatory valve-lifting bar extending longitudinaland the members in the direction of movement of the diaphragm, an oscillatory Hash-regulating bar having a Wedge-portion in cci-operative relation to the coupling member, said latter bar superimposed on the lifting bar and extending longitudinally thereof, and means for longitudi- 10 nally moving said flash-regulating bar to adjust its wedge-portion in respect to the coupling membei, said last-named means including a sleeve fixed in the Wall of the casing and having an inwardly extending slotted portion, an inner sleeve threaded for longitudinal adjustment in said fixed sleeve, a stem threaded in Said sleeve and having a terminal to which the ash-regulating bar is pivot-ed, and also having a projection guided in the slot of the xed sleeve.

GUSTAV VICTOR KARLSON. 

